Book description
" Richard Drake has skillfully woven together the various
strands of the Appalachian experience into a sweeping whole. Touching
upon folk traditions, health care, the environment, higher education,
the role of blacks and women, and much more, Drake offers a compelling
social history of a unique American region. The Appalachian region,
extending from Alabama in the South up to the Allegheny highlands of
Pennsylvania, has historically been characterized by its largely rural
populations, rich natural resources that have fueled industry in other
parts of the country, and the strong and wild, undeveloped land. The
rugged geography of the region allowed Native American societies,
especially the Cherokee, to flourish. Early white settlers tended to
favor a self-sufficient approach to farming, contrary to the land
grabbing and plantation building going on elsewhere in the South. The
growth of a market economy and competition from other agricultural
areas of the country sparked an economic decline of the region's rural
population at least as early as 1830. The Civil War and the sometimes
hostile legislation of Reconstruction made life even more difficult
for rural Appalachians. Recent history of the region is marked by the
corporate exploitation of resources. Regional oil, gas, and coal had
attracted some industry even before the Civil War, but the postwar
years saw an immense expansion of American industry, nearly all of
which relied heavily on Appalachian fossil fuels, particularly coal.
What was initially a boon to the region eventually brought financial
disaster to many mountain people as unsafe working conditions and
strip mining ravaged the land and its inhabitants. A History of
Appalachia also examines pockets of urbanization in Appalachia.
Chemical, textile, and other industries have encouraged the
development of urban areas. At the same time, radio, television, and
the internet provide residents direct links to cultures from all over
the world. The author looks at the process of urbanization as it
belies commonly held notions about the region's rural character.
"Named a Choice Outstanding Academic Title for 2002." --
